1. Field of the Invention
This invention related to fender assemblies for covering the wheels of a heavy-duty vehicle. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to an adjustable fender mount. In another of its aspects, the invention relates an adjustable fender assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heavy-duty vehicles, such as a tractor-trailer, use fender assemblies to cover the otherwise exposed drive wheels of the tractor. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a typical prior art fender assemblies A comprises a mounting arm B that extends laterally from the vehicle frame C, mounting brackets D, and a fender E. The mounting brackets D are fixed to the fender E and receive the mounting arm B. The mounting arm B bears a preponderance of the weight of the fender E and maintains the fender E in a desirable position above the drive wheels F. At one end, the mounting arm B can be fixed or rotatably mounted to the vehicle frame C. When the mounting arm B is rotatably mounted, the fender assembly A is rotationally adjustable relative to the vehicle frame C. The other end of the mounting arm B is secured to the fender E by the mounting brackets D.
In the exemplary prior art fender assembly A in FIG. 1, the mounting brackets D are secured to the fender E by traditional mechanical fasteners, which are shown as bolts G, that extend through the fender E. These and other conventional mechanical means typically require permanent alteration of the fender. For example, to mount the fender assembly to the vehicle frame, the mounting arm, the mounting brackets, and the fender are aligned relative to each other and to the vehicle frame, holes are drilled through the fender in locations to accomplish the desired alignment, and then the bolts or other mechanical fasteners are inserted through the mounting brackets and the holes in the fender. Because this process is very labor intensive and the working area near the vehicle frame is usually limited, it is often difficult to accurately mount the fender in the desired position. Typically, the fender is placed in proper location with respect to the wheels. This location is critical and cannot be altered. Then, the mounting arm B is mounted to the frame and the position of the mounting brackets on the fender is observed and the hole locations are marked. Often, there is very limited maneuvering room for the mounting arm and there is not much room to adjust the position of the mounting arm B with respect to the fender. If the holes are drilled in incorrect locations, the fender can be improperly positioned or the mounting brackets D might not align with the holes. Frequently, the fender must be marked again and new holes drilled in the fender. Other means of fixing the mounting brackets to the fender include welding, soldering, or other chemical bonding means. While chemical bonding methods securely fix the mounting brackets to the fender, they permanently alter the fender and have deficiencies similar to those of mechanical fastening means, especially if the brackets are improperly mounted.
Examples of prior art mounting brackets are disclosed in several patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,975 to Zieske (Zieske '975) discloses a fender mounting assembly comprising a fender mounting plate having traditional circular clamps for receiving a mounting arm. The clamps include bolts that can be tightened to securely grasp the arm, and the fender mounting plate is coupled to a lower surface of a fender. Alternatively, the arm can be directly attached to the fender by bolts and nuts. Another fender assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,178 to Mortvedt et al. (Mortvedt '178). In Mortvedt '178, U-shaped clamps sized to receive mounting tubes are secured to an upper surface of the fender with bolts that extend through the clamps and holes in the fender. U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,294 to Lockwood et al. (Lockwood '294) discloses a fender assembly comprising a mounting arm that sits within a support seat formed in an upper surface of the fender panel. Clamping plates are positioned inside the mounting arm and against the bottom surface of the fender panel. Threaded bolts extend through the clamping plates, the mounting arm, and the fender panel to securely couple the mounting arm to the fender panel. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,094,134 to Dickerson (Dickerson '134) discloses a fender assembly with a bent tubular arm having an inner horizontal portion and an outer horizontal portion that is received by brackets, which are positioned under the fender and fastened thereto with bolts.
Fender bracing assemblies were commonly used on early passenger automobiles to hold fenders under tension and to lift fenders to their proper positions. Such assemblies commonly comprised a rod or wire that connects clamps or brackets coupled to fenders on both sides of the automobile. The clamps typically wrap around the edges of the fenders and include means for retaining the rod or wire. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,489,062 to Burnam (Burnam '062) discloses a fender brace comprising a flexible wire cable disposed between two front fenders. A pair of bifurcated hook clamps, each having a hook portion and an eye portion, is mounted to each fender such that the hook portions wrap around the edges of the fenders. The wire cable is threaded through the eyes and secured in place with nuts and bolts. Similar braces are described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,434,477 to Bury (Bury '477) and U.S. Pat. No. 1,511,813 to Dunn (Dunn '813). The clamps in the Bury '477 and the Dunn '813 devices are single-piece components that wrap around both the inside and outside edges of the fenders. Fender bracing assemblies differ from fender mounting assemblies in that the latter bear a preponderance of the fender weight while the former merely hold a pair of fenders under tension to prevent vibration and to assist in holding them above the automobile wheels.